3 reasons why the Cowboys could be NFL's No.1 offense with QB Dak Prescott's return
The Dallas Cowboys received a noticeable boost in optimism as they began training camp last week. The reason? A healthy Dak Prescott.
Prescott had spent a large chunk of his offseason rehabbing his ankle after suffering a compound fracture and dislocated right ankle against the Giants last October, but on Saturday he was back out on the practice field throwing bombs to CeeDee Lamb.
The optimism around the Cowboys is so high that many have begun to discuss the possibility that Dallas may end up with the NFL's number one offense in 2021. Dallas will have to stay healthy and Prescott will likely have some rust to open the season, but becoming the league's number one offense is a goal well within reach.
3 reasons why the Dallas Cowboys could be the NFL's No.1 offense
#1 - A healthy Dak Prescott
It's easy to forget just how well Dak Prescott started the 2020 season. In only five games, he threw for 1,856 yards. That's 371.2 yards per game. If Prescott would have been able to stay healthy, it's fair to say he would have ended the season as one of the league's leaders in passing yards.
Now, back from injury, Prescott is clearly the biggest reason the Cowboys could be the NFL's number one offense. As talented as the Cowboys' offense is, and they're immensely talented, they just aren't as good without Prescott out there.
Prescott may need a few games to knock the rust off, but before too long he'll get back on the same pace he was at in the 2020 season. A Comeback Player of the Year award is a very likely achievement for Prescott in 2021.
#2 - The wide receiver group
The Cowboys have one of the best wide receiver trios in the entire NFL. Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup are about as good as they get.
Gallup is considered the weakest of the three and he still had 843 receiving yards last season. Cooper is the leader of the group. He had 92 catches and 1,114 receiving yards in 2020.
Meanwhile, CeeDee Lamb had 74 catches for 935 yards in his rookie season. Lamb has the potential to be an elite wide receiver in the NFL.
Keep in mind, the Dallas trio accomplished all of those statistics last season with Andy Dalton as the primary starting quarterback. With Prescott back in the fold, it's hard to imagine those numbers won't get even better.
As far as backups go, the Cowboys have some solid depth at the position. Noah Brown, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and rookie Simi Fehoko could all be good rotational pieces.
#3 - A bounce back in the running game
Ezekiel Elliott had a down year in 2020. He ended the season with 979 rushing yards, 4 yards per carry, 52 receptions, and 338 receiving yards.
Elliott's numbers weren't awful by any means, but going by the expectations he's set for himself, 2020 was a disappointment. Elliott's rushing yards and yards per carry in 2020 were all career lows.
After a disappointing season, you can bet Elliot will be motivated to bounce back to his usual elite play in 2021. Prescott coming back should also help with that, as opposing defenses won't be able to key in on stopping the run.
If Elliott can produce close to what he produced in the 2019 and 2018 seasons, then the Cowboys' offense is going to be as close to unstoppable as it gets this upcoming season.
It should also be noted that the Cowboys have an excellent backup running back in Tony Pollard. Pollard rushed for 435 yards last season. He also caught another 193 passing yards. As far as backup running backs go, Pollard is among the best.
With Elliott and Pollard in the backfield, the Cowboys are poised to be dynamic in the running game this season.